Silicone antifoam compositions, and methods for producing them, have been described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,639,489 and 4,749,740, Aizawa et al, issued Jan. 27, 1987 and Jun. 7, 1988, respectively; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,978,471 and 4,983,316, Starch, issued Dec. 18, 1990 and Jan. 8, 1991, respectively.
Liquid laundry detergent compositions containing polyhydroxy fatty acid amide have been described in, for example, WO-92-06154, published Apr. 16, 1992. Anionic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants are known ingredients of liquid laundry detergent compositions.
It has been found that it is difficult to formulate available silicone antifoam compositions into liquid laundry detergent compositions containing polyhydroxy fatty acid amide. These formulations tend to separate out after a few days in product. Even if they can be formulated into a storage stable product, they must also be effective at controlling suds in liquid laundry detergents. High suds are not desirable in the washing machine.
It has now been found that when polyethylene glycol (PEG), and/or copolymers of polyethylene-polypropylene glycol (PEG/PPG), having a solubility in water at room temperature of more than about 2 weight %, are substituted for the polypropylene glycol (PPG) heretofore present in a silicone antifoam composition, a stable, low sudsing liquid laundry detergent can be formulated. The liquid laundry detergent compositions, which contain polyhydroxy fatty acid amide, remain homogeneous upon storage. The silicone antifoam compositions with PEG and/or PEG/PPG copolymer are surprisingly better at suds reduction in this formulation in the washing machine than are the silicone antifoam compositions with PPG.